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Discussion Topic
Is cremation a sin for christains?
Posted on 09/16/08, 08:36 pm
My husband and I have both our plots paid for along with our vaults and head stones. Now the cemetary has contacted us after 5 years and said we needed to up date. They are telling us we need to pay to have our vaults transported and our head stone. The cost will be an additional 4000.00. They want us to make open payments that never stop. Once it is paid for the money still goes in for the living spouse. There is no end to the payments. I have no life insurance due to my mental illness and the cost involved and my husband who is 78 has only 4000.00 in insurance. We don't prefer cremation we just feel that we don't have any other choice if the Lord should tarry. Is cremation a sin for christains. Is it in the bible some where? I would appreciate any help on this issue. Thank you!
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Reply #1 09/17/08 1:22am
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Reply #2 09/17/08 6:51am
I know there is a lot of question over burial or cremation of a Christian I found this and read it I hope you can all understand what it is saying.
What Does The Bible Say About Cremation?
The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) has a few references to the disposal by burning in fire. Some verses describe executions by Philistines or Babylonians. Burning of bodies and objects in ancient Israel were mostly reserved for idols, criminals or enemies:
Genesis 38:24: Judah initially ordered his pregnant daughter-in-law to be burned to death because she was guilty of prostitution. This action would have caused the death of the woman and her twin fetuses.
Exodus 32:20: Moses destroyed the golden calf by burning it.
Leviticus 20:14: If a man marries both a woman and her mother, then all three "must be burned in the fire" (NIV). The passage is ambiguous: it is not known whether they would be burned alive, or would be stoned to death first, and their bodies burned
Leviticus 21:9: If the daughter of a priest becomes a prostitute, then she "must be burned in the fire." (NIV)
Numbers 16:35: God exterminated Korah and 250 Israelite men with fire because they opposed Moses.
Deuteronomy 7:25: God commanded that the idols of Pagan Gods be destroyed with fire.
Joshua 7:15-25: After Joshua and his army exterminated the men, women and innocent children of Jericho, a few soldiers disobeyed God's command and looted the city. As punishment for the theft, and to pay for Israel's disgrace, God ordered the thieves to be burned. They were stoned to death; their bodies were burned and buried in what was called the Valley of Achor.
Judges 15:6: The Philistines burned Samson's wife and father-in-law to death.
1 Samuel 31:11-13: Earlier in the chapter, Saul had been wounded and asked for assisted suicide from his armor-bearer. The latter refused, so Saul committed suicide himself. The Philistines impaled Saul's body and those of his sons and left them on public display. The people of Jabesh Gilead retrieved the bodies, burned them and later buried the remaining bones in Gilead. There have been a number theories raised to account for this unusual treatment to a hero: burning might have a local custom in Gilead. The people of Gilead may have been worried that the Philistines might dig up the bodies and further desecrate them. Burning might have been necessary because their bodies may have partly decomposed.
2 Kings 10:26: Jehu demolished a temple consecrated to the God Baal and burned its sacred stone.
Jeremiah 29:22: This verse contains a curse which refers to the time that the Babylonians burned Zedekiah and Ahab by fire.
Amos 2:1: God proclaimed death on Moab because he had reduced the bones of the king of Edom to lime through burning.
The Christian Scriptures (New Testament) contain few references to burning of bodies or objects:
Acts 19:19: Sorcerers who were converted to Christianity brought their scrolls out to be burned.
1Thessalonians 4:13 - 16 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Revelation 20:15: The fate of those whose names were not written in the Book of Life is to be thrown into the lake of fire
Revelation 21:8: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
It has to be something that we personally are comfortable with burial or cremation.
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Reply #3 09/17/08 9:25pm
Thank you for doing all that research for me. I'm really begining to beleive that God's wishes for christains is to not be cremated. I am aware there are circumstances where people are killed in a fire but that is not the same thing. Cremation was the heathens way and not God's. To purposesly choose to be cremated is choosing the heathens way of burial.I hope i haven't offended anyone but i needed to find the truth for me. Thank you for your help. -
Reply #4 09/18/08 11:39am
Every one has the free chose to make up there mind on what they believe there is nothing in your question to offend. Hugs Babsxx -
Reply #5 09/19/08 3:37pm
I do not think all the above verses relate to cremation at all. Many have to do with life here after and the flames and burning in hell. Some have to do with punishment of sins. I think there are many views in the christian faith that vary on the subject of cremation. You have to be careful about taking certain verses out and reading them out of the context of the whole passage. -
Reply #6 09/22/08 3:22pm
I do NOT believe Christ will condemn you because you do not have the finances to have a burial. Honestly there are so many people who take the words of god, and can twist them. Our God is a forgiving and understanding God.
If i thought for one minute i could not be cremated, and had to borrow money to be buried..that to me is absolutely absurd. Do we really think god will judge us on if we do not have the finances.?
Just pray hun.....I know God understands. :O) -
Reply #7 09/29/08 7:01pm
Cremation is not Christian!!
The Lord said that we are dust and into dust (not ashes) we shall return!!
". . . Dust thou art and into dust thou shalt return (Genesis 2:19).
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Abraham is the Father of the faithful. He is the example of all who believe in the one true God. When Abraham's beloved wife Sarah died, he didn't throw her on a pile of timber and then burn her remains. He took GREAT care that her mortal remains should have a safe and secure burial place because he believed in the Resurrection of the dead!!
An entire chapter of the Bible, Genesis 24, is devoted solely to the touching story of the burial of Abraham's beloved Sarah.
Another Jewish Patriarch was named Joseph. He arose from being a slave to the exalted position of Prime Minister of Egypt. He knew that his people would be captives in Egypt for centuries so he gave an order that his bones should be preserved:
"And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God shall surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence" (Gen 50:25).
No pagan cremation for him . . . not even his bones. Not one place in the Bible will you find any Godly person every cremating their dead relatives.
Cremation is abhorrent to true Christians because it reminds them of the fate of the unsaved who will be burning forever in Hell....That is why early Christians despised the PAGAN practice of cremation.
Catacombs of Rome are burial places for the martyred Christians.
Even after being torn by wild beasts in the arena, the Christians were very careful to collect the remains of their brothers and sisters and bury them in the Catacombs....No pagan cremation for them!!
You can't hide from the Lord by being cremated....Christ in Heaven knows where every atom and molecule is and He will put everybody back together at the Resurrection on the Last Day.
St. Patrick said this about that Dread Day:
"So it is that I should mightily fear, with terror and trembling, this judgment on the day when no one shall be able to steal away or hide, but each and all shall render account for even our smallest sins before the judgment seat of Christ the Lord."
Daniel the Prophet says that Antichrist will be cremated when Christ returns:
"I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame" (Daniel 7:11).
There will be a Resurrection unto eternal life for the believers and a resurrection unto eternal Damnation for the unsaved:
"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:13-15).
In I Corinthians, chapter 15, called the great Resurrection chapter of the Bible, the Apostle Paul explains the fundamentals of the Christian Faith. In simple language he tell us what we MUST believe to be saved. Belief in the death and Resurrection of Christ from the dead is an absolute MUST if we are going to go to Heaven when we die!!
Then he talks about the believers burial. He compares it to a seed sown in the ground, that grows to be a tree, plant, or beautiful flower.
"So also is the resurrection of the dead, It is sown in corruption: it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body (I Cor. 15: 42-44).
Over and over he uses the word SOWN to typify Christian burial. Try taking a seed and burning it to ashes. Then plant it in the ground and see what becomes of it.
The basics of the Christian Faith can be read in 1 Corinthians 15 I never twist the word of God and i am always very careful when talking about the word of God. I study before i make an answer. But i repeat what i said at the first answer, EVERYONE IS FREE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DISCION WHEN IT COMES TO THERE BURIAL just as we make our own free dicision when we choice to recieve Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
God bless Hugs Babs Connie seek God's guidance sister.
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Reply #8 10/02/08 8:59am
I can see this topic has two sides, and it has to be a personal decision. I checked in five different Bibles and the Strong's Concordance and not once did I find the word cremation. What are ashes, if not dust. Christ in Heaven knows where every atom and molecule is and will put them back together on the day of Ressurrection. I believe that statement. I do not believe that just because you are cremated you are trying to hide from God. Many these days simply cannot afford the burial and funerals.It is unlawfl to just bury loved one out on the family property somewhere. -
Reply #9 10/02/08 9:15am
I often listen to Focus On The Family with Dr. James Dobson so I went to his web site to see what he had to say about cremation.
Dr. Dobson's personal feeling is that cremation isn't an issue of moral significance. Whether through creamation or prolonged decay in earth, our physical bodies will return to ash.
In short Dobson believes the spiritual bodies we receive at the resurrection will not be dependent upon the state of our bodies here on earth.
He refers to the Apostle Pauls writings in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 & 49. If you would like to look up the scripture. -
Reply #10 10/02/08 9:39am
So I also went to Dr. Billy Graham site this is what it says about cremation.
At the resurrection it will not make any difference whether a person's body has been buried or cremated. God knows how to raise the body, either in the resurrection of life or the ressurection of condemnation. The new body of a Christian will be radically changed and glorified body like the body of the exalted Christ. It will be eternal, spiitual body never again to experience weakness, disease, suffering, or death.
He uses verses John 5:28-29, 1 Corinthians 15: 35-54 and Phillippians 3:20-21, as references to read.
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